


Porcelain Heart

by luckystars921



Category: Jonas Brothers
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckystars921/pseuds/luckystars921
Summary: My name is Deidre Erin Doyle and this is my story.This is the story of how, in less then twenty-four hours, Kevin Jonas managed to wedge himself so deeply into my life that I didn't even have time to decide if I actually wanted him there or not.This is the story of the ups and downs that followed as life proceeded to throw every road block imaginable in our way.Shakespeare did say, "The course of true love never did run smooth."
Relationships: Kevin Jonas/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The original iteration of this story was 'published' on the internet back between September and December of 2008. It was a finished piece at that point with 35 chapters total. 
> 
> I decided recently - mostly due to losing my mind in quarantine - to re-vamp a whole bunch of my old JB stories that I haven't even looked at in a decade at minimum. And being that it has been at least 10 years - there was no way I was letting them be re-posted without doing some editing and revising. So don't expect the same story it was in 2008. 
> 
> Obviously this also means that if you read this someplace before - it hasn't been plagerized. Kept my username as close the one I always use as possible (luckystars).

"I hate LA," Deirdre ‘Dee’ Doyle shouted the simple statement to her friend and co-worker Nicolette ‘Nikki’ Lancaster as the two females attempted to navigate a crowded industry party as they made their way to the bar. Nikki attempted commenting back but the thumping bass of Britney's current hit "Piece of Me" drowned out any response the tall red-head may have had for her much shorter brunette friend. Shaking her head as though to say never mind Nikki gestured towards a thankfully open table. When the two girls had finally reached the small table in the corner, located strategically close enough to both the bathroom and smoking patio to be convenient, they allowed themselves to breathe and relax.

"I still hate LA," Dee reiterated before taking a large slug of her Heineken Light. "I mean, look at this shit. I can't even get REAL beer here."

"That's because you think quote unquote Real Beer comes in a can and has a blue ribbon on it."

The brunette raised an eyebrow and simply asked, "What's your point?"

"You my dear have spent far too much time in the East Village and not enough time in Hollywood," Nikki explained as she waved her fingers across the room at a figure that looked like they might be able to hold a conversation if the topic revolved around air.

"Like I said before," Dee started again.

"I know, I know, you hate LA," Nikki cut her friend off with a smile to show she was kidding. "In happier news, cheers to surviving your first Video Music Awards. They're terrible to get through but at least you know there is an open bar waiting for you at the finish line."

The two girls laughed at clinked their bottles together before taking a drink.

"So, is there anyone here I should meet?" Dee asked glancing around the dark over-crowded club.

"Well....you know the Plain White T's from before you started working for us and I don't see any of the Disney kids here; so, that'd be a big no. In fact, I don't see anyone else from Hollywood Records here at all. I think we can actually have fun tonight."

"Imagine that - fun. What a concept."

"Hey, you're an intern. Fun stops after tonight. Trust me. I on the other hand am a wonderfully successful A&R rep and can have fun whenever I want. So there."

"On that note, I'm going outside to have a cigarette. You watch our shit," Dee smirked as she jumped up and grabbed her beer, blackberry and pack of cigarettes out of her purse before walking out onto the very empty smoking patio.

The quiet empty patio was a change for the born and bred New Yorker. Bars there typically had crowded front stoops or patios in since the smoking ban had been instated. The city that never sleeps had not gotten the notice on smoking being bad for your health and it was quite normal to find just as many, if not more people, outside the bar having a smoke rather than inside having a drink. Dee perched herself on a bench and pulled out a Marlboro Light and her lighter. Lighting up she glanced around the extremely dark area trying to see if there was anyone outside that she didn’t see at first glance.

Peace and quiet was nice to a certain extent but sometimes conversation was better.

As she was looking around, she met the eyes of a male form from across the room, sitting in a dark corner, as he nodded a bit of a greeting. Smiling slightly at the extremely attractive male who had nodded she blushed thanking a higher power that it was so dark out here no one could tell. Wondering what he was doing in the corner by himself the next fifteen minutes passed with the two young people eying each other and smiling until finally Dee took another drag on her cigarette and decided to muster up the courage to go and talk to him and was summarily startled into silence when she realized he was on his way over instead.

"Hi," Dee looked up at the young man who appeared to be around her age and smiled. Curls hung in his eyes and he had a smile that Dee could only describe to herself as being almost smug, but not quite. More like he knows something that no one else does and he is just dying to tell the secret. Dee blushed again as she realized one of his eyebrows had gone up in the universal gesture for, "Well?"

"Hi back?" She asked. "I'm Deirdre. Everyone calls me Dee."

The male chuckled and gestured at the bench, "Kevin. Can I sit?"

"Sure."

After Kevin was settled, he asked, "So what are you here for?"

"I intern in the marketing department of Hollywood Records. I made friends with one of their A&R reps, Nikki Lancaster, and she brought me with her tonight as her pseudo-date. What are you here for?"

"Really?"

"...yes? I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

"Wow. That's super refreshing. Though, also concerning considering your job. I'm Kevin Jonas."

"...Oh? OH! Oh. Wow, tonight sucked for you huh?" Dee slapped a hand over her mouth at the same time the words came out and stared at the boy next to her horrified. Even when he started cracking up she still didn't entirely relax and instead tried to fix things, "I mean, you guys sounded great. What I meant was, the constant jabs at your...about your...well...."

"Virginity?"

"Yes! No! I mean, I was going to say lack of sexual proclivities. But I guess your way works too."

"Believe me, there are proclivities there, I just haven't acted on them yet," Kevin leaned over until his mouth was less than an inch from her ear and repeated one word, "yet."

With that one word Kevin Jonas opened up a Pandora's box and Dee slowly turned her head to meet his eyes before smirking slightly and replying, “Oh really?”

Kevin’s responding chuckle was cut off as Dee leaned over and pressed her lips to his – simply in answer to the challenge he had basically thrown down a few seconds earlier. The fact that he had immediately leaned in and responded made the gamble worth it.

* * *

Walking back inside the crowded club twenty minutes later Dee looked around and forced her panic down when she realized she couldn't find Nikki.

"Ok, Deirdre. You are twenty-one years old. You are stone cold sober. You can do this. Now if I was a twenty-four year old red-head where would I hide?"

"Probably upstairs," Kevin's voice in her ear caused Dee to jump and turn around only to meet his laughing eyes again.

"I think I don't like you nearly as much as I first thought."

"Lies. All lies. You told me you were going to look for your friend and the name just clicked. Nikki works with us at Hollywood, she's probably somewhere yelling at Joe and Nick for being at this party."

"I doubt she's yelling at them. Nikki doesn't give a shit about underage partying and from what I've heard you guys don't really party-party."

"She gives a shit when it could mean her pay-check. It's happened before - Joe's been enjoying being a 19-year-old rock star a little too much lately."

While the two had their conversation, they were constantly scanning the crowded room for his brothers and her friend and, ironically enough, in a way their boss.

"Ohhhh...," Dee trailed off her reply as his words fully processed.

"Yea, oh....and I found them."

"Where?" Dee asked trying to see over the crowd.

"Second booth on the left side of the room. Joe and Taylor look like they’re drinking. Nick looks bored. Nikki looks livid. Sounds about right for the past few months."

Dee didn't need to see his face to tell Kevin was rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"Drinking?" Dee asked as the two began navigating the crowded club over to where their targets were stationed.

"Not a LOT. Probably not more than anyone else who's nineteen, hell, it's probably a LOT less actually. But unfortunately for him, he does have an image to uphold and morals that actually meant something before he met that girl."

"Wow. How old are you grandpa?"

"Old enough to know better, young enough not to care as I proved outside."

"You only proved that you know how to get to first base without being struck down by lightning."

"Hardy bloody ha ha."

"I try."

The two finished their conversation as they reached the booth across the room.

"So, Nikki look who I met outside." Dee said to break the awkward silence that she and Kevin had walked into, waving her hands as if she was showing off a prize on a game show.

"Huh?" Nikki asked eloquently before realizing who was standing there, "Kevin! Look at your brother! He's trying to get me fired. You realize that right?"

"Yes, Nikki. That is exactly what Joe's master plan is in the grand scheme of things. Getting you fired."

"Don't be an asshole. Just help me get him home," Nikki said as she smacked the oldest Jonas on the arm before handing her purse to Dee and gesturing Nick out of the booth and Big Rob over to the table from where he was standing keeping any nosy onlookers as far away as possible.

"Guys?" Nick's voice cut through all of them as Kevin helped Joe stand a little less wobbly and started to steer him towards the entrance.

"Yes Nick?" Nikki asked.

"What about Taylor?"

At the youngest boys question there were mixed reactions - Joe smiled stupidly, Kevin rolled his eyes, Dee looked confused, Big Rob and Nikki both groaned because they realized they couldn't just leave the kid there and Nick shrugged when all eyes that weren't Joe's turned to glare at him for bringing it up.

"What?!" He exclaimed.

* * *

"Well that was certainly interesting," Dee said to Kevin as she looked around his hotel room wondering how exactly she wound up back here. The group had steered Taylor Swift, as well, into the SUV and dropped her off at her hotel room with her manager before dropping Nick and Joe off at their room. Somehow between dropping Taylor and Joe off Nikki had disappeared and Big Rob had said goodnight to the two of them in the hallway before going into his room. Summarily leaving Dee without a ride.

"Interesting is a nice way to put it," Kevin responded from where he was laying on his bed with his eyes closed still fully dressed and sounding about ready to pass out.

"So, I guess I'll call a cab," Dee mumbled as she looked for the hotel phone book.

"You don’t have to," Kevin mumbled around a yawn, vaguely waving at the other half of the king sized bed. Dee just rolled her eyes and laughed to herself when the next noise she heard was a snore.

"Party animals these Jonas boys are not," Dee said out loud to herself as she scribbled her number on a notepad and walked out quietly shutting the door behind her.

When she reached the lobby of the hotel, she pulled out her cell phone and started angrily jabbing buttons to pull up Nikki’s contact.

"Hello?"

"Where did you go?" Dee said loudly right in the middle of the Intercontinental at Century City, LA.

"I'm sitting in the hotel bar having a cup of coffee. Where did you think I went?"

"Oh…I'll be there in a second. Order me a cup," Dee hung up her phone and tossed it into her purse as she walked into the bar and spotted her redheaded friend. "Interesting night huh?" she asked for the second time in a half hour. Nikki just raised an eyebrow as though to ask, "interesting?"

"So... you and Kevin huh?"

"Me and Kevin nothing. That is one mess I do not need to get into."

"How's it a mess? He's incredible. He's sweet, funny, charming, smart, talented...if I was straight..."

"And about 4 years younger"

"Well that too. No but in all seriousness, he's a great guy. You could do worse. And even as mad as I was I didn't miss the look of two perfectly well kissed people arriving at the table."

"He could do a lot better than me."

"Like who?"

"Oh, I don't know? Anyone?"

"I'm gonna smack you so hard. Dee you're beautiful. Ok, you're a little vertically challenged, but honey you've got a rack that women would pay money for and that's not even getting to your ass."

"Ok, I get the point. Sexy harassment much?" Dee laughed as she cut Nikki off and began blushing again as she thought about the boy, man, boy upstairs from her currently passed out on his bed. "Do you realize that if this was any other guy I'd probably not be down here with you."

"I know, that's an even better reason why he's good for you. You could do to have a nice slow, uncomplicated relationship for once in your life."

"Now why would I want one of those?" Dee said with a smile in response as she drained her coffee cup and stood up to leave. Nikki shrugged and grabbed her bag and started walking towards the door with Dee. Just as the two girls reached the lobby of the hotel Dee's blackberry vibrated with a new message.

Looking down the brunette groaned and read the message out loud to her redheaded counterpart, "Why'd you leave? This bed is way too big to only have one person sleeping in it. The Door's open if you're still anywhere near the hotel.", finishing reading the text before deleting it Dee continued her own thoughts out loud, "So Nik, what happened to purity rings."

"Uhh...he only implied sleeping? Yea, I dunno. It's entirely up to you. Just don't break his heart," The red head winked as she continued out the door of the hotel and the brunette pushed the UP arrow.

"Somehow, I don't think it's his heart that's going to get broken."


	2. Chapter One

The doors to the elevator opened on the 11th floor of the five-star hotel in the middle of Century City, LA. As Dee stepped out she caught her reflection in a hallway mirror. Standing in front of her was a five foot two inch tall, thin but curvy, dark haired brunette with medium length brown hair. Brushing the long bangs out of her eyes she examined the rest of her body. A black pleated mini skirt paired with black stockings and black heels with pink paint splatters adorned her lower half while her top was simply covered by a pink tank top and a black vest. Some simple silver bangles and hoop earrings completed the look.

"I don't get it," she muttered to herself before turning right and heading back to room number 1190 that she had just left not even a half hour earlier. Knocking lightly she heard a faint answer of "it's open", which was painfully obvious being that the door stop was stuck between the door and the frame. Dee sighed to herself before pushing the door open and walking into the nearly pitch black room. As the door shut behind her Dee examined the room once again. Everything looked exactly as she had left it only now the TV was on and Kevin was propped up on his bed in a pair of sweats and nothing else.

"Hey," he said not taking his eyes of the television which appeared to be playing what looked to be a Charlie Chaplin film.

"Hi. So...I got your text," Dee said shuffling her feet in the middle of the room.

"Obviously," he responded.

"Ok...I guess I'll go then if that's the reception I'm going to get."

"No. Come here."

"Excuse me?"

"Please?" Kevin added in a hopeful tone which caused Deirdre to start laughing as she instead approached the bed. Kicking off her shoes she crawled up next to him and laid down on her side.

"What are we watching anyway? And did I really come up here just to watch TV?"

"We're watching The Gold Rush and no you didn't come up here to just watch TV."

"Then turn the TV off," Dee said as she trailed a hand down his arm.

"Yeaaaa...you didn't come here to do that either," Kevin said pulling his arm back much to Dee's confusion.

"Then why exactly am I here at almost 2:30 in the morning?"

"I wanted to talk," he said simply.

Dee's eyes widened and she jokingly exclaimed, "You really are a virgin!"

"Wow. Nice to see you've finally caught up. Yes I am and I take it seriously. And I'm a little disturbed by the fact that you would have willingly jumped into bed with me if I was so inclined."

"Well not anymore I wouldn't have," Dee grumbled sitting up. "Newsflash doll, did you miss the little monologue this evening? That wasn't false. You really could snap your fingers and get any little girl to, pardon the expression, drop her panties. And did you just call me a slut?"

"Not in so many words, no," Kevin smirked as he answered. "Trollop maybe. Slut never." As he finished the sentence he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers hungrily. Dee wasn't sure if it was attraction or anger or both but she found herself kissing him back just as passionately. And as she pushed him back onto the bed and started making her way down his chest Dee couldn't help but think this may be the most potentially complicated situation she had ever gotten herself involved with.

* * *

A few hours later the sun insisted on making sure that Dee be pulled out of the dream she had been having involving Kevin and a lot less clothing then they had fallen asleep in the previous night. Reaching over next to her she was surprised to feel nothing but mattress. Sitting up Dee glanced around and then realized she could hear the shower running. A quick look at the clock showed it to be 7:00am.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” she hissed and stuck her head back under the pillow for less than a second before, “Shit. 7am. Fuck. Ok…” Dee jumped out of the bed and grabbed her stockings, skirt and vest off the floor where she had tossed them last night before passing out around five. Rolling up the stockings she stuffed them in her purse and then slipped her skirt back on. Frantically looking around the room for anything else she may have discarded the previous night Deirdre was surprised when she felt arms slip around her waist and a voice in her ear.

“Going somewhere?”

“Yes. I have work in two hours and it’s going to take me at least 45 minutes to get to my apartment and then another half hour from there to the Hollywood Records building in Los Angeles rush hour traffic. I hate LA.”

“Take a deep breath and relax. Then go take a shower. I’ll work out the clothes situation,” Kevin said softly as he pushed her into the bathroom and handed her a new towel before closing the door.

“What are you going to do?” Dee asked the wooden divider. When there was no answer, she figured at least this way she’d only have to change clothes when she got to her apartment and she stripped before jumping into the shower. It wasn’t until she was rinsing her hair that she realized the entire conversation in the room this morning had happened with Kevin Jonas only wearing a towel. “Damn-it!”

Coming out of the hotel bathroom 15 minutes later in a towel with her makeup done, as well as she could with what was in her purse, and her hair dry, if not styled, Dee stopped short at the sight before her. Kevin was standing there proudly holding out a large white button-down shirt, a black belt and a pair of black skinny cut pants.

“Darling boy. Your pants are not going to fit me and I’m slightly insulted that you thought they would.”

“They’re not mine. They’re Nick’s,” He clarified, “umm…you might have to cuff them. Either way, this’ll have to do, cause my parents will be here in about 10 minutes and while God may not have struck me down dead. They will.”

“We didn’t do anything,” Dee said as she took the clothes from him and dropped her towel causing Kevin’s eyes to nearly bug out of his skull, “What? I’m basically wearing a bikini.”

Kevin turned around and continued as Dee got dressed behind him, “Doesn’t matter if we did anything or not. You were in here. Totally unsupervised and you stayed the night. And we so did stuff.”

“Not really.”

“So did.”

“Ok, maybe in your world of candy canes and promise rings we did but trust me…that was nothing.”

“But you…well…you know, and I…”

“You can turn around now. I’m fully clothed. I promise,” She said sarcastically to him. “I’ve always been a believer in the fact that if you can’t even talk about sex then you have no business having any type of sex whatsoever. Because obviously it just proves you aren’t mature enough to handle it. So, I’m starting to wonder if it’s a purity pledge or if you just haven’t out grown your junior high level male attitude towards intimacy with another person.”

“No,” Kevin mumbled and walked forward to slip his arms around her waist and bury his head in her neck, kissing it lightly. Dee pushed Kevin away from her and made him look her in the eyes before she started talking.

“Then I don’t know what it is Kev. But here is what I do know. We just met…I’m perfectly fine with you being all ‘celibate’. But you keep shooting me mixed signals. Let me spell this out for you…you let me give you a blow job, but you wouldn’t even stick your hand up my shirt. That to me makes me think you have a lot of other issues that have nothing to do with your little ring, not to mention selfish as hell thank you very much; because, truth be told, no matter what you guys think that isn’t exactly a fun time for us ladies. We also just met and regardless of what you may think. I do not normally behave in such a way on a first date. You have my number. Do some thinking and call me. I’m always up to party…I just need to know we’re on a level playing field when we do,” Dee kissed him on the cheek lightly and grabbed her purse before walking to the door.

As the door closed behind her and Dee walked down the hallway, she figured she wouldn’t be hearing from Kevin Jonas for a good long while, if ever. While this normally wouldn’t phase the more experienced girl, for some reason, this time it felt like a kick in the gut. The night before had consisted of some hard core making out among other things…but it had also included cuddling and a two-hour non-stop conversation about everything under the sun.

Stepping onto the elevator Dee closed her eyes and acknowledged that she had broken her one rule to working behind the scenes in the music industry, “You cannot make friends with the rock stars,” she whispered to herself. “It’s all business this time around.”

As Dee stepped off the elevator her cell rang, “Hey Nik.”

“Slut. I just went to your apartment to pick you up and you aren’t there.”

“No. No I’m not,” Dee answered as she pulled out sunglasses and a pack of cigarettes from her purse once she walked out of the hotel and onto the sidewalk and headed in the direction of her office building.

“Well where are you?” Nikki asked.

“Outside of the hotel on my way to the office. It’s only about a fifteen-minute walk and I’ve got time. I’m just gonna grab some coffee on the way.”

“You’re a freak. Walking. Ha.”

“I’m from New York City…we use our feet there. That’s why we don’t have brown clouds over our city.”

“So, what did you do last night?” Nikki finally asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Not much. Just chilled.”

“Bull.”

“It’s true. We hung out and chatted and fell asleep.”

“Really?”

“Yes really. God Nikki, he’s staying a virgin til he gets married. You know this.”

“Yea well ten minutes with you can change a man’s perspective on the whole thing.”

“I’m hanging up now. I’ll see you soon,” Dee hit the end button on her phone and glanced in a store window at herself. “I’m not that bad. I’m not that girl anymore.” Shaking her head Dee continued down the block quickening her pace as she realized it was a little later then she had originally thought it was. Memories of a girl of sixteen hanging out backstage and in hotel rooms with bands drifting off into the wind as she hurried her pace to the Hollywood Records building.

After all, Ms. Penny Lane had been right, _”never take it seriously, if ya never take it seriously, ya never get hurt, ya never get hurt, ya always have fun, and if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends."_

Problem was, Deirdre Erin Doyle for the first time in a long time had met someone who might force her to take it seriously.


	3. Chapter Two

The following weeks allowed Deirdre to force Kevin out of her head. She woke up, went to work, worked her ass off and usually ended the day with a drink or two over dinner with Nikki. She constantly smiled and assured everyone she was "peachy with a side of keen" and continued with her life. If she was doing everything physically possible to avoid hearing any news about The Jonas Brothers well that was entirely unintentional on her part.

Or at least that's what she told Nikki.

About a month after she left Kevin in his hotel room Dee was walking down the hallway of the Hollywood Records Marketing Department sorting through a stack of envelopes she had just been handed when she slammed into another body and proceeded to land hard on the floor.

"Oh God I'm so sorry," said a voice Dee vaguely recognized. Looking up through the hair that was now hanging in her eyes Deirdre was surprised to see Joe Jonas and an unnamed brunette female standing over her looking embarrassed.

"I'll live," Dee replied as she took his hand to help her off the floor and watched as he began trying to gather the envelopes she had dropped. "Joe, it's ok. You don't have to do that..."

"All done," he mumbled, having ignored her request for him to stop. As he stood up straight and smiled at her Dee was taken aback and said so.

"Wow. You're kinda hot when you aren't slobbering drunk."

"Uh?"

"Yea, I was there sweetheart. So, who's your friend?" Dee asked with a slight lilt to her voice as she gestured to the brunette.

"This is Demi Lovato. She's another "Disney Girl" that I'm friends with."

"I'm so sorry," was Dee's first response, "Well, not about being friends with Joe, that you're stuck as a Disney-bitch. I'm Dee."

"It's not that bad at all," The girl replied with a laugh. "I don't have to wear a wig like some people at least."

"Always a plus."

"You know, I'm still here," Joe said after clearing his throat.

"Do you wear a wig Joe? Is that what you're trying to tell us?" Demi asked her friend with a smile and tone that caused Dee to start uncontrollably giggling.

"Oh, you I'm going to like," Dee said to the younger girl. "So, Joe, what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Kevin and Nick to get back from the bathroom."

"Kevin's here?!" Dee asked with a sudden panicky squeak to her voice.

"Yeaaaa...Jonas Brothers. Plural. There are three of us. Why?" Joe asked with an incredibly confused tone to his voice. The question reminded Dee of the fact that Joe had been fairly well intoxicated by the time she had sort of met him and she didn't know how much sharing went on between the three brothers in the first place. For all she knew they thought she had left as soon as they dumped Joe face down onto his bed.

"No reason. I just actually got to speak to Kevin the night of the VMAs so I figured it would be nice to see him again," She explained sort of smoothly, although judging by the look on Demi's face she had missed the mark on that one.

The word "Cool" and a strange eyebrow raise was Joe's only response.

"So, Dee," Demi began attempting to break the silence, "what do you do here?"

"I'm technically a "Marketing Department Intern" but, since I am just an intern, I really do anything required someone else doesn’t want to do."

"Except sign checks, after all, no one actually wants to give money away. But hey you never know when they might start letting her do that too," Nikki's voice elaborated on Dee's statement as she came up behind the trio with Nick and Kevin trailing her. Dee spotted the oldest Jonas and felt her hands go numb. Mentally shaking off her reaction Dee smiled brilliantly at the three newcomers and waved at the two brothers.

"Hey Kevin. Nick."

"Hey," was the response from the two brothers. One staring intently at Dee and the other seemingly off in his own world.

"Well now that that's out of the way," Nikki began, "are we ready to go into the conference room? Dee you're coming too."

At that statement Dee looked up from the envelopes she had once again started to go through and asked incredibly surprised, "Me?"

"No. The other person standing here named Dee," Nikki turned on her heel and headed across the hall to the smaller of the two office conference rooms.

Upon entering the room Deirdre was surprised to see a few other people in the room as well. Nikki stared at an empty chair and Dee immediately headed for it and sat down. Nikki joined her not five minutes later. People were milling around the room chatting and Dee's attention wasn't anywhere other than a curly dark haired head who was currently laughing at something Nick had said as they sat patiently and waited for whatever the meeting was to start. When he turned to look at her and their eyes met, and he smiled Dee proceeded to forget there were any other people in the room.

She hated every single second of it.

"Ok people," Dee was pulled out of her musings by a loud voice of someone she recognized to be from her department, specifically working on the Jonas Brothers account, "I said, let's go!" the end of the sentence was projected much louder to the room's occupants and everyone settled down and turned to face him. "Basically, I just want to fill you in on the Jonas schedule for the next few weeks. The boys are here in LA for a few weeks while they set about filming the Disney channel show and other then a few one-off dates here and there they'll be based out of LA at least until the New Year. That's all. Go back to work."

"That was it?" Dee asked Nikki incredulously.

"Yea, Jeff's known for his, how do I put this, really bad delegation skills."

"Oh, why'd you want me in the meeting anyway?"

"Hey Dee," The male voice came from behind her head and as she turned around to face him, she saw Nikki making a fast escape with Nick, Joe and Demi out of the corner of her eye. Glancing down at the vibrating Blackberry in her hand she read the simple text, _'you're welcome’._

"Hi Kevin," Dee said softly, "So, how've you been?"

"Good. Good. I had a lot to think about this last month," He stated taking her arm and leading her out of the conference room and down the hall, "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"It's fine. I've been busy and to be perfectly honest, I didn't expect you to call. They never do. Hey where're we going?" Dee answered as she followed him into an empty, currently under construction corridor in the office.

"Privacy. And wait, they?" Kevin questioned while leaning back against the wall. "I'm a they now. Cool."

"Rock stars. You're all the same," Dee teased him and if she knew how much her face had lit up at the banter she would have run and run fast. "You don't write, you don't call. You think you can just wham bam thank you ma'am and move onto the next city."

"Oh really? And how much experience do you have with rock stars little girl?" Kevin asked pulling her towards him until she was flush against his chest part of him not wanting to know the answer to that question.

"I've got enough," Dee said nodding seriously while coyly playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"Enough huh?" Kevin whispered into her hair.

"More then enough. You'd be surprised actually. Probably more then a little freaked out," Dee responded trying to make him edge off his obvious pursuit. When he didn't move she tilted her head up to meet his eyes, "Remember what I said last time Mr. Jonas," She whispered back getting ready to push herself away from him.

"The playing field's level this time Ms. Doyle," Kevin said seriously slipping his arms around her waist and then a little lower before pulling her closer to let her feel just how level the playing field was.

"You don't know anything about me and if you did; well, I can guarantee you wouldn't be all that interested."

"I know enough to start and you can tell me the rest. But for right now I know you're beautiful. Funny. Sort of a bitch, but I think that's kind of hot and you're absolutely addictive and super bad for me."

"So's candy," Dee smirked at the young man. "Don't even go there," She added in response to the beginnings of him opening his mouth. "So, do your brothers know what happened?"

"Nick does."

"Just Nick?"

"Yes. Just Nick. Joe does think you're hot though, so he'd probably be all for it."

Dee rolled her eyes at his response before stepping back away from him and walking across the small hallway to sit against the opposite wall.

"And what does young Nicholas think?"

"Oh, he thinks you're hot too," Kevin responded with an evil smirk that had Dee banging her head against the wall. "No seriously, he's cool. He did give me the same shit you did though."

"Oh! So, Nick thinks it's shitty that I got nothing out of the deal too huh? I guess what they say is true, it is better to receive then to give," Dee said with a wink.

"Actually, Nick gave me shit because of our rings. I swear he has no hormones."

Dee started laughing when he said this so seriously and just stared at him in disbelief.

"Why Mr. Jonas, doth mine ears deceive me, or are you starting to doubt your purity pledge."

"...No?"

"Good God Nikki's right. I'm a freaking whore. I'm so going to hell for this," Deirdre closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm not having sex with you. Nope. Never. Not gonna happen."

"Yes it will."

"Nope."

"Yes."

"Oh really? How can you be so sure about that?"

"Cause you're going to marry me one day."

Dee's eyes snapped open and she stared in disbelief at the boy who had somehow without her realizing it moved so he was kneeling in front of her. Taking her shocked silence as an opportunity Kevin leaned in and did the one thing Dee had been dreaming of for a full month. He kissed her. And since no one had ever accused Deirdre Doyle of being stupid, she most certainly returned the sentiment.

If any mix of panic ridden and elated thoughts were running through her mind at what Kevin had said she forced them down and allowed herself to enjoy the little moment in the hallway surrounded by saw dust. After all, rockstar or not, boys like him do not take girls like her home to Mom. Especially not for keeps.


	4. Chapter Three

The next four days passed uneventfully. Kevin constantly texted and called Dee repeatedly asking her out on an official date. Finally, on the afternoon of October 10th Dee asked Kevin, "Why are you so hung up on me anyway?"

"You're interesting and I think we could have something even more interesting."

"Half the time we bicker and the other half we make out," she mumbled into the phone while proofing an ad layout.

"I'm not exactly seeing a problem with that. Come on Deirdre, go to dinner with me tomorrow night. You can't blow something off until you at least give it an honest try. You can't tell me you aren't attracted to me and don't at least want to see if something worthwhile could come of it."

"Fine. I'll go to **one** dinner with you Kevin Jonas. Tomorrow night. Where were you planning on taking me?" Dee asked with slight trepidation.

"I think I've got the type of girl you are pegged. I'll plan the perfect night out."

"I need to know how to dress though," she prodded him.

"Just like you would for any evening out," Kevin responded slightly confused.

"Ok Mr. Jonas, not all of us dress in a three-piece suit on a regular day to day basis. Are we talking five star black tie formal or are we talking jeans and a clean t-shirt," Dee asked him as a test to see just how well he thought he had her pegged.

"Jeans and a clean t-shirt," was the response.

"Ok. Maybe you do have me pegged," she conceded. "I've gotta go though. I have an ad layout due in an hour and I'm still on the first draft."

"Ok, I'll pick you up at the office at six tomorrow."

"Six?"

"Traffic. I wanted to have dinner fairly early so I could spend some time getting to know all this stuff about you that you think is going to make me run for the hills," as he finished his sentence Dee heard him close his phone and hit the end button on her own.

"Oh boy."

* * *

"Do I look ok?"

"You look hot," Nikki responded to Dee's question as the two girls stood in the middle of their office’s bathroom. The brunette had changed into a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and paired them with slouchy black ankle boots. A black studded belt was wrapped around her waist and a black halter top that showed off just about a quarter inch of her stomach covered her top half. Her hair had been pulled back with silver clips on one side of her head and her makeup was incredibly minimal.

"I know I look hot. I always look hot. That's never been the problem. What I meant was, do I look ok to be going out to dinner with one of Disney's prize cattle?"

"Yes. Is that really how you think of these kids?" Nikki asked quietly.

"Yes and no. I just don't understand how they stay stuck under the thumb of a corporation who wants to control their every move and how they keep portraying these public persona's as virginal angels. Miley Cyrus for example, need I say more?"

"Yea, but that's just one stupid teenage girl. Need I remind you how you made so many connections in this industry?"

"I never pretended to be something I wasn't. I was a modern-day groupie. I don't deny it. She acts like she's the Virgin Mary and then screams 'hacker' when provocative pictures show up on the internet. If she were as innocent as she'd like everyone to believe then she wouldn't be doing the things in those pictures. And if she were as smart as she'd like people to believe she at least wouldn't allow for photographic evidence."

Nikki laughed at Dee's rant and added, "So I take it you never took pictures or video?"

"Are you crazy? Never."

"Not even with William?"

"Not even with William. And him I actually dated," Dee glanced over her reflection one more time before asking, "Should I tell him?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You're going to hate me for this answer, but it's the truth. He has a certain reputation to protect. He needs to know all the facts before he gets involved with you."

"See, that's why I hate this Disney machine," Deirdre ground out in frustration. "I have officially dated William Beckett and Matt McGinley. People know this, even if none of us ever said we were dating. No one ever had a problem with it. Plus, and while I'm not particularly proud of it, I'm not going to hide it. I've hooked up with or slept with Wentz, Travis, effing Taylor Hanson plus god knows who else since I was sixteen. No one has ever said shit to me about it. Hell, somehow, I've managed to gain respect despite it. And I'm still friendly with all of them."

"That's because you aren't a moron and you were discrete about your...umm, affairs. And that's because it was an entirely different scene, so to speak. Kevin doesn't have that luxury. And you and William are not friends."

"Not by his or my choice. That's Christine's ultimatum," Dee responded referencing William's long-time on and off, currently on, girlfriend who he got back together with after they split a year and a half prior. "What time is it?"

"Five-fifty."

"Ok, I'm going to head downstairs. I don't want anyone seeing me leave for dinner with Kevin. I'll call you later tonight," Dee said hurriedly as she gathered up her purse and sweater.

"You sure as hell better," Nikki yelled as the door to the bathroom shut behind Dee.

Slipping on the black cardigan sweater she had brought Dee jumped on the elevator and headed down to the lobby. As she walked out she was surprised to see Kevin standing there already holding a single tiger lily and for the first time ever in her memory of seeing him in person or in pictures, he was wearing a simple pair of jeans, sneakers and a black button down shirt over a white t-shirt.

"Wow," Dee whispered as she walked over to him.

"You like?" Kevin asked with a smile and handed over the flower.

"You look, normal."

Kevin rolled his eyes and slipped an arm around her shoulder, "Let's go smart ass."

"What'd I say?" Deirdre asked laughing as they walked out of the Hollywood Records building.

* * *

"I have to admit Jonas, I'm impressed." Dee said looking around the car Kevin was driving along the freeway.

"Nice right? It's been my one really big purchase," he responded referring to the 2009 BMW 328i Convertible they were riding in. "Kind of my early twenty-first birthday present to myself."

"It's really nice. So where are we going anyway?"

"You'll see," Kevin said mysteriously. "Patience is a virtue my dear."

"So is truthfulness," Dee shot back. "I think?"

Kevin laughed and exited the freeway at Manhattan Beach. As the two drove along in silence with the sunset ahead of them Dee glanced over at Kevin's profile and smiled to herself. All the band boys she had been involved with in some way and not one of them had made her feel like Kevin Jonas did. When she was with Kevin she felt exposed like he could see right through her and he knew every detail of her life without her telling him. Only one other person had ever been able to do that to her and she had managed to ruin that relationship completely over a year ago. Turning back to look out the window Dee thought about William.

Funny, sweet and considerate when she met him he had transformed into an entirely different person over the following years. She was seventeen and he was nineteen. She was in Chicago doing a summer internship designed specifically for high school seniors at Victory Records and he had just formed The Academy and begun playing shows. The attraction had been there from the get-go. However, he was in a long-term relationship with another girl and she had, at the time, been seriously dating Matt McGinley, the drummer for a up and coming hip hop band from New York for about a year at that point. They had settled on being friends. Dee found herself at every single The Academy show that summer. Dee had even been the one to suggest adding ‘Is...’ to their name when it became a necessity due to copyright issues.

It was at the Chicago Warped Tour date that William introduced her to Pete Wentz, but that was another story entirely. The end of the summer had come and Dee headed back to New York to begin classes at New York University. By November she and Matt had broken up amicably and Dee moved onto her most destructive relationship with of all people Taylor Hanson. It only lasted two months and he had eventually left her to return to Natalie who at the time was pregnant with his second child. Pete followed Taylor, on and off for a year, amongst whomever else she met and became involved with. Finally, at the beginning of 2006 William showed up in New York and simply kissed her, no "Hi there. I missed you." Just a kiss. The next six months were perfect. William Beckett knew everything about her past and accepted her despite it.

At least, she thought he did.

A summer spent together on Warped Tour, a summer spent together around guys she had been involved with in some way or the other had finally been the straw that broke the camel's back for William. When Dee arrived back in New York City three weeks before the end of the tour she was half broken from losing someone who she thought had been the love of her life and her best friend. She threw herself completely into her schoolwork, excelled even more then she had been, gotten an internship at Hollywood Records for her final semester and that was how she found herself here in a car with Kevin Jonas pulling up to Rock'N'Fish on Manhattan Beach.

Ironically, she thought working for Disney would put her somewhere she wouldn't meet any males that would distract her from her ultimate goals.

"This is a bad idea," Dee suddenly said as the car pulled to a stop.

"What? Why?" Kevin asked turning to look at her in surprise as he put the top on the car up.

"There are things you need to know before we go out in public together," Dee took a deep breath and closed her eyes so she didn't have to see him as she began talking.

"Is that all?" Kevin asked fifteen minutes later when she was done recounting everything to him.

"Is that all?" Dee repeated shocked. "I just basically told you I'm what boils down to a nearly home wrecking Fueled By Ramen groupie and all you ask is "Is that all?"

"Deirdre, I'm not stupid," Kevin began, "I know that if a lot of that stuff ever got out it could be very bad for my reputation. Now, let me be clear on this point, I do not care. I didn't know you then, I know you now and I like who I know."

"Really?" Dee said her eyes glistening.

"I don't care. Plus, the way you explained it gives me the impression that any one of those guys would beat the living shit out of me if I ever broke your heart. I've seen the way you handle yourself. I've heard people in the office talk about you. They respect your ideas and your work ethics and your capabilities. No one looks at you like a groupie."

"Thank you Kevin," Dee said seriously.

"You're welcome. Now I don't know about you but I'm starving."

"I could definitely eat. Let's go."

Dee opened the door and stepped out of the car and looked around the area. Taking a deep breath of the sea air.

"Good choice?" Kevin asked slipping his arms around her waist from behind.

"Yup. I guess you really did have me pegged," Dee smiled at him as they approached the building.

"Yea, you didn't exactly strike me as the paparazzi stalked Melrose restaurant type and since I'm certainly not either I figured this was a good choice," Kevin explained as he opened the door to the restaurant for her.

* * *

It was later after a huge dinner of Cajun style seafood and they were walking hand in hand barefoot along the beach that Dee turned to Kevin and asked, "Do you really not care?"

"I really don't care. So long as you aren't planning on becoming involved with anyone else besides me for a good long while, or forever, I don't care."

"Slow your roll boy. Forever's a big word."

"I like big words," Kevin said into her hair after turning to her and pulling her into a hug.

"You are far too charming for your own good," Dee whispered in return with a slight quiver in her voice.

Kevin pulled back slightly to look her directly in the eye before saying, "You make it easy."

"How did this happen to us?" Was Dee's response to him. "Look at us, we're not exactly a matched pair."

"Opposites attract. Why are you so obviously intent on fighting this? Can't we just admit that we're attracted to each other and that there is definitely something between us," Kevin said frustratedly as he stepped away from Dee and walked a few steps away.

"I don't know alright. I mean, hell yes I'm attracted to you. You're sexy as hell. I just, I don't do 'boyfriend-girlfriend' relationships."

"Well maybe it's time you tried it?" Kevin said simply, "Because truth of it is Dee, I don't do the type of relationship you prefer. If this is going to work, we need to compromise."

"Are you even allowed to date?"

"I'm 20 fucking years old. I'll do whatever the hell I want with my love life thank you very much. That is one concession I will not make."

"Ok. So, I guess we're dating," Dee said simply.

"And I won't let you push me off, cause I like you Dee...and wait what?"

"Didn't think it'd be that easy did you?"

"No. I really didn't. So is this where I kiss you?" Kevin asked walking back over to her and pulling her into his arms.

"No. It's where I kiss you."

With those words Dee reached up and pulled Kevin's head down to hers and felt herself go weak in the knees as his mouth opened over hers. The only thing either of them were aware of was each other, the feel of the sand beneath their feet and the rushing of the waves.

Neither one of them noticed the photographer on the pier a few hundred yards away or the fact that the moonlight perfectly illuminated who was kissing on the beach if there was a telephoto lens involved in the equation.


	5. Chapter Four

The new couple spent another hour sitting in the sand talking and trading stories about their lives growing up. Dee told Kevin all about her crazy family, being raised by a music producer father and a photographer mother, her older brother the chef, growing up in Williamsburg before it was safe or hip to live there. Meanwhile Kevin told her about growing up in New Jersey and his life basically blowing up when he was sixteen. She even told him more about her crazy teen years and was still surprised when he just shrugged it off and told her it still didn't matter.

"So you see I'm actually the most normal person in my family,” Deirdre concluded as she finished a story involving her brother, a tank of sharks and a fishing pole.

"That's kind of a scary thought to be perfectly honest."

"Tell me about it. You should witness our Christmas dinners."

"I hope I'll get to."

"Baby I don't even like attending those. We can stick to your nice normal family."

Kevin eventually drove her back to her apartment and walked her to the door. When Dee invited him in he turned down the invitation and kissed her lightly.

"I've got an early day tomorrow or I would. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Dee watched Kevin walk down the stairs before she opened her door and closed and locked in behind her.

"Perfect," she whispered to herself later before falling asleep.

Needless to say, when her cell phone rang at 4:00am and it was her sister in law she was more than a little surprised.

"Katie? Is everything ok?" Dee asked her brother's wife slightly panicked.

"You're dating a Jonas Brother this time?"

"How'd you know that?" Dee asked too tired and confused to deny it, especially to family. "We only went out for the first-time last night. I didn't even tell Mom I had a date."

"Yea well, it's on AOL Entertainment News baby girl."

"It's on what?!" Dee shrieked before jumping out of bed and running into the living room to grab her laptop.

"Front page right when you open the AOL Homepage. Here, I'll read it while you pull it up. Entertainment News: Kevin Jonas spotted with anonymous brunette at Manhattan Beach last night. The two had dinner at Rock'N'Fish before taking a romantic moonlight stroll together along the beach where they were spotted kissing later in the evening. And there are pictures. Good pictures, which is how I knew it was you."

"Oh. My. God. This is actually insane," Dee said mortified as she stared at the photos of her and Kevin sharing what they thought to be a private moment on the beach the night before. "Where the hell did they take these pictures from? There was no one around," Dee mused out loud to herself momentarily forgetting Katie on the other end of the line and she moved her mouse to the search option.

"Listen baby girl I have to go to work but take my advice on this, do not Google Kevin right now. Ok?"

"Too late," Dee answered as she stared at her screen that currently showed a few thousand responses to Kevin Jonas. The fore front of which were a few hundred mentions of Manhattan Beach and a brunette and more then a dozen fan sites or message board posts insulting her.

Already.

"Katie I have to go."

"Yea, I'll talk to you soon. Love you kiddo." The dial tone reached Dee's ears and she clicked her phone off before dialing Kevin.

"Hello?" A scratchy voice came through the other end of the line.

"Kev? It's Dee."

"Hey, is anything wrong?"

"Not really...sort of. A little bit. We're all over almost every entertainment website and blog because there was a photographer on the pier behind us last night and he had a very good telephoto lens."

"Are you being serious?" Kevin asked softly.

"Dead. What do we do?"

"Wait, it's 4:00am, how do you even know this already?"

"My fucking sister in law called me from New York. Now what do we do?" she frantically replied.

"You go back to bed. I'm calling our publicist and manager. I'll call you later.”

"It's only Friday. I have to work today."

"They're based out of your offices anyway. We'll meet you there."

"I'm so going to be fired."

"You're an intern," Kevin reminded her.

"Worse then. I'm not going to get class credit."

* * *

Two hours later Dee got up again, having barely fallen back asleep and got ready for work. She peeked out of her apartment window and was glad to see there were no photographers outside. Walking quickly down the street she hopped on the bus and settled herself in the back for the half hour commute to work. It wasn't until she walked into the lobby of her building that she realized the extent of her problem because when the security guard at the front booth raises and eyebrow at you and shakes her head you know that the news has gotten everywhere.

"Deirdre Doyle," barked a voice as soon as she tried to sneak off the elevator. Looking up Dee was terrified to see her big boss, the director of Creative Development – and all the departments under that label - standing and staring at her with a woman she had never seen before.

"Yes Mr. Martin?"

"My office."

"Yes sir," she replied softly.

Walking down the hallway was perhaps the longest walk she had ever had to take before or at least it felt that way. Once she was seated and introduced to the woman, one Mrs. Mary McGinty, a public relations representative for the label she started getting even more nervous.

"Now Deirdre," Mrs. McGinty began, "Obviously I'm sure you know why you're in here."

"Cause I was kissing Kevin Jonas?"

"No dear. Not because you were kissing Kevin. Because you were caught kissing Kevin."

"Sorry?” Dee replied nervously.

Just then the door swung open to reveal and out of breath Kevin. "Sorry I'm late," he gasped out and took the seat next to Dee before reaching out and grabbing her hand to hold. "We aren't breaking up," he added. "That is not an option."

"Kevin no one is saying you need to break up," Mr. Martin began. "You do however need to tone it down."

"We were kissing. On a private stretch of beach. At night. It's not our fault the paps are crazy."

"No, but it is your responsibility to keep conscious of these things. In fact, you're the one I'm aggravated with."

Kevin's eyebrow rose in surprise at the creative director’s statement.

"Me?"

"Yes you. Dee isn't used to this type of attention yet. She doesn't know what to look for. You do."

From then on the meeting deteriorated even further. Deirdre just sat and supported Kevin however she could while he got ripped open and spit back out by the public relations woman and received a lesson in how to handle private situations in public forums so the whole world doesn't know your business. And yes, that was the real title of the lecture, she said so herself.

* * *

"So what'd we learn from that?" Dee asked Kevin when they had finally been set free and they were walking towards her cubicle.

"Don't kiss on the beach and get caught ‘cause then you can’t deny being in a relationship until you’re blue in the face," Kevin muttered.

"Basically," Dee grumbled. "So what now? What do I do? Other then be hated by your fans."

"Now you remain anonymous because I don't want you being stalked by those fans or paparazzi and we continue to enjoy each other's company, only now we can do it in public. I just keep everyone from finding out who you are."

"Do it huh? In public? I've always wanted to try that."

Kevin laughed at her statement and said, “I’m kind of crazy about you, did I tell you that yet?”

“You may have implied it but I don’t mind hearing it.”

“Well, I definitely do not mind saying it,” Kevin told her honestly as they reached her desk.

“Oh hey, you never told me, what did your parents and brothers say about the pictures?” Deirdre asked him and was surprised when he blushed.

“I didn’t tell them yet,” Kevin replied.

“You didn’t…tell them yet. How did you manage that?”

“Nick woke up with a headache. That’ll happen sometimes if his blood sugar goes at all wonky and Joe’s in a Taylor cloud so he doesn’t notice anything.”

“I’m impressed Kevin. You’ve only known me about a month and already I’ve corrupted the sweet innocent boy I met at that party. The old Kevin never would have hidden something like this.”

“I’m not hiding, I’m just waiting til the perfect strategic time to tell them.”

“Which is?”

“When I get home in about fifteen minutes now that I know you aren’t getting fired or failed for the semester. I’ll call you later,” Kevin told her as he walked down the hall towards the elevators.

“You better!” Dee called after him and then turned back to her computer to open up Google to see just how bad it really was.


End file.
